Yukinoshita's Correction Method

"Rumi..." Yukino Yukinoshita's eyes welled up with a hint of nostalgia. "You said you'd keep an eye on her situation, how exactly?"

"After the camping incident, her relationship with her classmates changed somewhat, but it only lasted for a while. The school teachers talked to some students and held some themed class meetings," Dong Yunshan explained briefly. "After all, it's dangerous to let this continue, so the school is making quite a effort. This time, her Rumi was also the result of the teachers' efforts. By enriching extracurricular activities, we can help Rumi build confidence and a new social circle."

"It mainly involves multi-party cooperation and shared emphasis." Yukino Yukinoshita nodded. "And what about your situation in the Rumi?"

Dong Yunshan briefly recounted her conversation with Rumi Tsurumi.

Yukino Yukinoshita thoughtful. "Has it already reached this stage?"

Dong Yunshan raised one eyebrow. "This stage?"

"The first stage is passive victimization." Yukino Yukinoshita pushed the plate towards Dong Yunshan, gesturing for him to continue eating, "Which is the initial confusion, helplessness, and pain of being isolated."

Dong Yunshan suddenly realized. "The time spent camping in the Rumi?"

"At that time, she was already in the later stages of the first phase, which means she started analyzing the specific causes. When faced with situations that are incomprehensible, people tend to find specific causes to alleviate anxiety—for example, being struck by lightning is because of doing something wrong." Yukino Yukinoshita used chopsticks as pointers. "Ultimately, there are only three types: internal attribution, external attribution, and dialectical analysis."

"If we're talking about internal attribution..." Dong Yunshan murmured, "It's all my fault, I didn't do a good job, is there something wrong with me?"

Yukino Yukinoshita nodded. "Self-doubt can easily lead to depression."

"External attribution means that it's all their fault, that they are wrong."

Yukino Yukinoshita: "Anger and aggression arose spontaneously."

"A dialectical analysis would be much more difficult." Dong Yunshan Rumi Tsurumi's expression. "It requires a correct understanding of oneself and insight into the underlying logic of others' behavior. If you can really do that, you'll find that this kind of isolated behavior...is quite boring?"

"This leads to the second stage: through observation and reflection, we've thoroughly analyzed the internal logic of isolation. We've understood the naivety and conformity of group behavior, even the power structure, and by reflecting on thought itself, we can see the phenomenon of isolation more clearly, and understand why we suffered before." Yukino Yukinoshita tapped the table lightly. "At this stage, we need to make a choice."

"Let me think..." Dong Yunshan finished a plate. "My first choice is the solitary hermit, which means actively staying away."

"Closed-off out of disgust... what else?"

Dong Yunshan finished the second plate. "The second option is to become a player of power, using the rules to become the dominant force in the system, transforming from the isolated into the one who isolates others."

"An acceptance of the law of the jungle..." Yukino Yukinoshita nodded, "There's one more thing."

"And..." Dong Yunshan thought as she ate, finally finding the answer, "Whether you're a hermit or a player, you're both a result of being influenced. If you can maintain your true self after experiencing all this, then... um... what is it?"

Yukino Yukinoshita whispered, "A focused scholar."

Chapter 647 Going to Be a Dad

"She won't hide herself, nor will she get involved," Yukino Yukinoshita's voice was distant. "She will treat this isolation as a solved problem, and then focus on self-improvement to solve other problems."

When the other elementary school students were deciding the outcome by playing rock-paper-scissors, Rumi Tsurumi stepped forward and asked the high school students for their opinions.

The elementary school students all wanted to know what to do, but none of them wanted to stand out, or perhaps they were too afraid to talk to the high school students, so they chose to play rock-paper-scissors.

Hermits hide themselves and try to minimize their presence.

Players will participate and use the rules to achieve their own goals.

Scholars will disregard the rules and do what they can.

"Rumi this is the current situation for those studying in the US..." Dong Yunshan murmured, "It feels... pretty good?"

"It seems like a good start so far," Yukino Yukinoshita said, pursing her lips. "But if it continues to develop, there are still different directions it could take."

"For example?"

"When she elevates herself to a certain level, she can construct a highly self-consistent and self-sufficient inner world." Yukino Yukinoshita lowered her eyelids slightly. "This system is very stable, but also fragile and closed, resisting any external input and connection, and regarding solitude as its only refuge."

"One person can do it..." Dong Yunshan looked at Yukino Yukinoshita, "That sounds familiar."

"There's another possibility." Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at him sideways. "When she has problems she can't solve herself, that is, when she can't build a self-consistent system no matter how much she improves herself, she tends to solve other people's problems in her own way in order to confirm her own correctness and stabilize her increasingly unstable heart caused by self-improvement."

"... They look even more familiar." Dong Yunshan twitched the corner of his mouth. "They all seem a bit extreme? Perhaps a more balanced approach would be better?"

"Most people waver between the two, occasionally leaning towards one direction." Yukino Yukinoshita rested her chin on her hand, looking at Dong Yunshan. "But what you're struggling with doesn't seem to be this?"

"I ran into her today, and I wanted to give her some useful advice." Dong Yunshan finished her last plate and put down her chopsticks, "But all that came out were some correct but meaningless platitudes... I guess I've become a boring adult."

Yukino Yukinoshita helped him clear the table. "Didn't you always act like an adult and treat everyone else like children? Why are you bored now?"

"Hmm..." Dong Yunshan thought for a moment, "I consider myself an adult, enjoying that feeling of maturity and reliability, enjoying the superior sense of superiority that I can easily handle things that my peers can't. This somewhat complicated feeling now is more about... a sense of loss at my own decay?"

After putting the dishes and utensils into the dishwasher, Yukino Yukinoshita and dried her hands, then turned to meet Dong Yunshan's gaze. "I feel that truly bored adults wouldn't feel this kind of loss."

"Huh?"

"When you suddenly discover traits you used to dislike in yourself, it's normal to feel uneasy and lost when it impacts your self-awareness," Yukino Yukinoshita icy blue eyes filled with tenderness. "However, truly boring adults don't reflect on these things, so your unease and loss precisely prove that you're not a boring adult."

Dong Yunshan nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense..."

"However, what I'm more curious about is..." Yukino Yukinoshita Dong Yunshan up and down, "You used to consider yourself an adult, so why do you only feel this way now?"

"That's true." Dong Yunshan recalled for a moment, "But apart from meeting Rumi, nothing special happened—it was probably just a whim."

"Hmm..." Yukino Yukinoshita still felt there was some reason, but she couldn't remember it for the moment.

While Dong Yunshan was communicating with Cloud Flash Delivery by phone, Yukino Yukinoshita was handling matters related to the Tokyo Branch while pondering her next move.

"After the branch opens, initially the drinks will be from the Chiba main store, along with those from Kyoto and Tokyo. After a while, the Tokyo drinks will be sold in Kyoto, and the Kyoto drinks will be sold in Tokyo... It's just a marketing tactic to generate buzz in the early stages." Dong Yunshan pointed out the key point, "This requires leveraging Cloud Flash Delivery's cold chain transportation advantages, not only for raw materials, but also for the existing milk tea express delivery... Of course, cross-city milk tea express delivery isn't profitable; we still need to generate buzz... Um, there's also the kale transportation contract. No, the branch needs to sign long-term contracts with suppliers, but short-term contracts for transportation. Kale prices will increase later, so short-term contracts facilitate adjustments to transportation prices... Okay, that's all for now."

Dong Yunshan hung up the phone and returned from the balcony, only to find that Yukino Yukinoshita, who had been sitting in front of the computer, had disappeared.

With a click, the bathroom door opened, Yukino Yukinoshita stared at Dong Yunshan: "You're going to be a father."

"Ah... ah?!" Dong Yunshan's eyes widened instantly. She rushed closer, then stopped abruptly, cautiously reaching out to support Yukino Yukinoshita. "You... wasn't it just now..."

"I meant the reason." Yukino Yukinoshita took his hand and pulled him to sit on the sofa. "I thought about it for a while, and I finally figured out the reason when I went to the bathroom just now."

Dong Yunshan's expression froze. "The reason I have those feelings... is because I'm going to be a father?"

"First, it was that test I did before that made you realize you were going to be a father," Yukino Yukinoshita recounted. "Then it was going to kindergarten and seeing the children."

"Hmm...0..." Dong Yunshan recalled the situation at the time, "I was indeed closer to Keika than before."

"Then we went to Disney and saw The Bamboo Hunt," Yukino Yukinoshita added. "The story is full of a father's love for his child and the messages he conveys."

Dong Yunshan vaguely remembered something. "It was only at the very end that I encountered Rumi... and that stirred up some emotions within me."

"Although I'm not actually pregnant, the pregnancy test made you think about our future child, so you feel closer to Keika than ever before." Yukino Yukinoshita traced Dong Yunshan's emotional journey. "Then, while watching The Bamboo Hunt at Disney, you thought about the father's love and education for his child in the original work, which made you think about how you would educate your own child in the future. Finally, your reunion with Rumi made you subconsciously start to think deeply and say some correct but meaningless things."

Dong Yunshan, looking dazed, said, "So..."

"So you haven't become a boring adult." Yukino Yukinoshita bit her lower lip lightly. "You're going to be a father, and you're working hard to be a good father."

Dong Yunshan finally understood why she had lost her composure when facing Rumi Tsurumi.

While camping, Dong Yunshan had just started dating Yukino Yukinoshita and hadn't thought that far ahead.

Now, triggered by a series of events, he subconsciously begins to think more deeply when faced with similar problems as before.

He wasn't trying to solve Rumi Tsurumi's current troubles, but rather he was overthinking her future, even her entire life.

It was as if he were considering his own daughter's entire life.

But Rumi Tsurumi was not his daughter after all, and Dong Yunshan knew very little about her.

When you have limited knowledge of someone and are considering their long-term life prospects, the only advice you can offer is...

Study hard.

"You..." Yukino Yukinoshita reached out and hooked her arm around Dong Yunshan's neck, her icy blue eyes reflecting Yukino's face, "You really want a baby so badly~"

Dong Yunshan supported Yukino Yukinoshita's slender waist. "I just discovered that too."

"But with you so anxious..." Yukino Yukinoshita blushed, "I can't feel at ease having your baby."

"Then..." Dong Yunshan hugged her a little tighter, "What should I do?"

"Hmm~" Yukino Yukinoshita tilted her head and thought for a moment, "If I were your daughter, what would you do?"

"I'll teach you to call me dad."

"Ouch!" Yukino Yukinoshita bit her in anger, "That's not what I meant at all!"

"What does that mean?"

"Hmm..." Yukino Yukinoshita looked at the spot where she had just bitten you, "Like, what if I bit you like this?"

"Let him bite," Dong Yunshan replied matter-of-factly. "It's not like the child's mother hasn't bitten him before."

"That's true... but not true." Yukino Yukinoshita shook her head vigorously, then put on a stern face, "I feel like you'll spoil the child."

"No way..." Dong Yunshan was also a little uncertain, "Probably."

"Daddy~" Yukino Yukinoshita called softly, "Can I bite it one more time?"

"Okay~"

"See?" Yukino Yukinoshita playfully slapped him, "She agreed right away."

Dong Yunshan protested, "You seem completely unaware of the destructive power of what just happened, and utterly unable to refuse."

"..." Yukino Yukinoshita puffed out her cheeks slightly and sighed softly, "Never mind, let's talk about it later, since it's not happening yet."

I'll try again.

"What are you trying to do..." Yukino Yukinoshita snapped out of her daze and covered Dong Yunshan's mouth, "... wait one more day."

"Huh? Aren't we starting now?"

"Not today, at least tomorrow..." Yukino Yukinoshita suddenly remembered something, "What you meant by 'starting' is..."

"Start adjusting your mindset, learning how to be a good father... etc." Dong Yunshan's eyes crinkled with a smile. "What are you talking about?"

"...Terrible." Yukino Yukinoshita muttered softly, her cherry lips slightly parted to seal Dong Yunshan's mischievous mouth that wanted to continue asking questions.

--

Dong Yunshan reviewed yesterday's meeting minutes and gained a more intuitive understanding of everything Iroha Isshiki had said.

Orchestra performances, orchestras, jazz concerts, choirs, dance, drama, gospel music, musicals, reading plays... Tamanawa Sheng welcomes all suggestions, aiming to design activities that everyone can accept.

This is certainly impossible.

Insufficient time, insufficient manpower, and insufficient budget.

The accountant clearly stated that no matter how they calculated it, the budget would be insufficient.

Tamanawa that everyone hold a meeting to think about how to solve the problem.

"Is everyone here? Well then, let's begin." Tamanawa announced the start of the meeting and had documents distributed. "After the previous brainstorming, I've put together a brief summary—please take a look."

Dong Yunshan quickly browsed through the documents.

The summary report, titled "Christmas Concert," is themed "[Connecting Our Moments]" and includes a variety of performances, divided into five parts: classical, rock, jazz, hymns, and Christmas carols. Interspersed between each part are plays and musicals with a Christmas carol theme.

It can be described as a lavish program that maximizes the synergy between music and performance, spanning all categories.

Basically, it's the result of modifying and merging the various topics from the previous meeting.

To be honest, it's quite presentable.

After looking at Iroha Isshiki, she turned to look at Dong Yunshan.

This summary was somewhat beyond her comprehension.

Although she knew such an activity was impossible, she couldn't see the underlying reasons and therefore couldn't refute it logically.

Dong Yunshan's eyes flickered slightly. He wrote a word on the paper and then circled it.

Tamanawa's gaze swept across the entire room. "How was it?"

"Hmm..." "Seems good." Everyone gave ambiguous approval. "It looks interesting." "Indeed." "It'll definitely be lively!"

The reasoning is simple: during the brainstorming phase, everyone is required not to contradict the opinions of others.

Because the divergent thinking phase lasted for too long, people developed a habit of thinking and dared not disagree with others' opinions.

Furthermore, this current event is a massive undertaking pieced together from the ideas put forward at the last meeting.

Most people are in a similar situation to Iroha Isshiki; even if they want to refute, they are unable to do so effectively due to limited understanding.

They naturally know best the ideas they themselves proposed, but they don't want to deny those ideas.

Then I have no choice but to agree.

"I share the same thoughts as everyone else; I also feel this event is excellent." Iroha Isshiki's words immediately attracted a lot of attention.

Especially the Student Council members of Sobu High School, who were still thinking about how to refute, Iroha Isshiki spoke up first.

"Since no one has any objections," Iroha Isshiki looked at the words Dong Yunshan had written, "Then we can begin the premortem."

Tamanawa paused, clearly flustered. "Premortem? Yes, yes, that's how it should be..."